For Jets entering season opener in prime time, keeping their composure is key

By MANISH MEHTA

Sep 10, 2018 | 10:50 AM

Part of the Jet culture makeover centered on resisting a natural human impulse. No matter how amped up you feel about a particular opponent, scenario or circumstance, never veer too far from the straight line.

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It’s an important game because it’s the next one.

Football is filled with catchphrases and clichés designed to keep everyone locked in on what matters most. Remember when everyone wanted to Play Like a Jet once upon a time?

These Jets are bent on not getting swallowed up in the emotional week-to-week vortex, which can be challenging given that this sport is fueled by emotion. Call it compartmentalized excitement. Every game holds the same importance, regardless if it’s Monday night in Detroit or a random Sunday afternoon against a bottom-feeder.

“If you treat every game like it’s the Super Bowl or championship game or division game, no matter who you’re playing or what the scenario is,” Super Bowl champion Jermaine Kearse said in the run-up to the season opener against the Lions, “There’s going to be no difference in how you prepare every day.”

People naturally tend to get amped for big moments. It’s what makes sports fun, right?

“There’s a human element to it, but you can train the way you think… if you train your mind,” Kearse said. “We’re all creatures of habit. If you do things enough, your subconscious is going to take over when there’s no time to think or you have no time to react. You just go. You talk about it. You do it enough. You engage with your teammates enough about it. You can really train your mind to think that way. It’s possible because that’s exactly what we did in Seattle.”

Todd Bowles has spent more than three years trying to ingrain this philosophy into his players. When you’re 22 years old, it can be a hard lesson to digest.

But it’s the exact right mindset for any team, especially one trying to set a foundation for sustainable success. Bowles isn’t imploring his team to play without a pulse. He’s trying to teach them that maintaining a high level of focus for 17 weeks is mandatory to find success in this line of work.

Jets head coach Todd Bowles (r.) hopes his players don't let the emotions of a season opener in primetime get the better of his players. (Steve Helber / AP)

Emotional roller-coasters will ruin a team. So don’t buy a ticket to board one.

Even when it’s in your DNA to let out primal screams of joy seemingly every hour of every day, be smart. Prepare smart. Always maintain focus.

“I’m itching at my palms, man,” said the excitable Jamal Adams about the season opener in Detroit on Monday night. “Listen, there’s no point in talking about it anymore. It’s here now. Just going to go out there and hopefully put on a show.”

Bowles isn’t in the business of making grandiose predictions, but he isn’t shy about sharing his ultimate goal: The Lombardi Trophy.

“I don't go into every season feeling any less or any more (pressure),” Bowles said. “It's the same pressure. You get to the Super Bowl… That's all I'm here to do. I'm not here to collect a check. I'm not here to go 8-8. I'm here to try and get to the Super Bowl.”

It was the same goal in 2015, 2016 and 2017. It’ll be the same goal for as long as he’s around.

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Why would it be anything different?

“Everybody’s expectations are always going to be the same,” Adams said. “It’s never going to change. Our goal is like every one of the 31 other teams’ goals. The goal is to get to the big game. But we’re not worried about that right now. We’re worrying about Detroit.”

“I don't go into every season feeling any less or any more (pressure).”

Todd Bowles

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Although CEO Christopher Johnson has made it clear that there’s no playoff mandate this season, you should turn in your playbook if that doesn’t remain your goal.

“It’s a win-now type of league,” veteran left tackle Kelvin Beachum said. “We know that Coach Bowles and our GM have put a good roster together. We all know the expectations. It’s winning right now. It’s not, ‘Hey, we just want to get better this year.’ No, it’s winning right now. More than anything, that’s the kind of buzz and the feel around here.”

Although Bowles admitted that it will take a few games to get a better handle of his team’s strengths and weaknesses, he’s encouraged by what he’s seen this spring and summer.

“I like our team right now,” Bowles said. “We haven’t played a game yet. We are still gelling. The chemistry is still coming together. The key in the first four or five weeks of the season is to win while you're trying to gel. I like what we have and I like where we are going.”

Veterans like Kearse, who should have two Super Bowl rings rather than one (ask Marshawn Lynch for further details), have tried to help spread Bowles’ message to keep a sustained intensity level every day.

“You don’t want to be susceptible to playing lower than the standard that you set,” Kearse said.

It’s not easy. It might go against your natural instincts. But it just might help this organization get to where it’s wanted to go for a very long time.